Pull tab tear strip with circular score line in seam



June 8, 1965 .1. s. BOZEK PULL TAB TEAR STRIP WITH CIRCULAR SCORE LINE IN SEAM Filed Jan. 28, 1963 W l l 8 Plant INVENI'OR Joan s. BozaK ATTORNEYS- United States Patent v O 3,187,927 'PULL TAB TEAR STRIP WITH CIRCULAR SCORE LINE IN SEAM John S. Bozek, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,092 11 Claims. (Cl. 22054) can end which may be formed in a conventional manner and of a conventional shape for double seaming to a can body in the conventional manner and wherein a portion of the resultant seam between the can end and the can body is removable to facilitate the opening of the can without the use of any tool or implement whatsoever.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel can end which is the same size and outline as a conventional can end and which is providedwith a weakening or score line extending generally circumferentially thereabout and setting oif that portion of the can end which normally becomes the end hook of a double seam between the can end and a can body, the score line also extending into the interior portion of the can end to define a tear strip which is integral with the portion of the can end which defines the end hook whereby after the can end has been double seamed to a can body, the tear strip may be first torn from the can end across the seam after which the end hook is pulled out of the seam and the can end is free to be removed from the. can body. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel can end which is provided with a single weakening or score line extending uninterruptedly from one end to the other, the score line having one end thereof opening through the periphery of the can end and the other. end thereof intersecting the score line adjacent the one end, the score line defining a tear strip and an integrally connected removable peripheral portion whereby the can end, after being seamed to a can body, may be ruptured so as to destroy the seam and make the remaining portion of the can end removable from the can body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel can or container which includes a body and an end seamed to the body, the end being free of peripheral'projections and having a pull tab which is attached to a tear strip integrally formed with the end and defined by a weakening line, the tear strip and the remainder of the end being so associated whereby the tear strip may be pulled and a portion of the seam removed to facilitate the openingof the can by the removal of the end.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel can construction which may be formed on conventional equipment and including a can end and a can body which may be seamed utilizing a conventional closing machine, and wherein the can end is provided with a removable portion including a part of the seam whereby the removable portion may be removed to rupture the seam and effect the removal of the end from the can body.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

3,187,927 Patented June 8, 1965 In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a bottom plan view of a blank for a can end wherein the underside of the can end blank is provided with a single weakening or score line to effectthe later opening of a can of which the can end becomes a part.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a can utilizing a can end formed from the blank of FIG- URE 1 and shows specifically the details of the easy opening feature thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and shows specifically the details of the easy opening feature of the can end.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3 transversely through the seam of the can and shows specifically the details of the seam and the manner in which the weakening or score line extends through the seam to facilitate the rupturing of the seam.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 and shows further the specific details of the score line to facilitate the easy opening of the can. 7

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary exploded view on a reduced scale and shows the remaining portion of the can end removed from the upper end of the can body and in a position for use in reclosing the can body,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 77 of FIG- URE l but showing the blank shaped into the final shape of the can end. I

Referring now to the drawing in detail, reference is first made to FIGURE 1 where there is illustrated a blank generally referred to by the numeral 10 from which a can end is formed in accordance with this invention. The blank 18 has a circular outline and is of a size corresponding to a conventional can end. The blank 10, however, differs from a conventional can end blank in that it is provided with a weakening or score line generally referred to by the numeral 11. The score line 11 includes a straight first portion 12 which extends inwardly from the periphery of the blank liiparallel to a radial line and terminating in a U-shaped portion 13. The score line 11 includes a second straight portion 14 which is disposed in spaced parallel relation to the straight portion 12 and which terminates in a radius 15 which is, in turn, connected to a circular portion 16 which. terminates at the other end of the score line 11 into the straight portion 12. The score line 11, as is readily apparent from FIGURE 1, sets off a peripheral edge portion 17 to which there is integrally connected a tear strip 18, the tear strip 18 being primarily defined by the straight portions 12 and 14 and the U-shaped portion 13.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 7 wherein there is illustrated a can end, generally referred to by the numeral 19, which is formed from the blank 10. The can end 19 is of a conventional outline and includes an end panel 20 defined by a peripheral curl 21 which is of a conventional cross section for double seaming to a conventional can body. At this time it is pointed out that the tear strip 13 may be provided with an opening 22 therethrough disposed adjacent the U-shaped portion 13 Reference is now made to FIGURE 4 wherein there is illustrated the details of a conventional double seam, generally referred to by the numeral 26, between the can end' 19 and the can body 24. The can body 24 includes a body wall 27 which terminates at the upper end thereof in a body hook radius 28. The body hook radius 28, in turn, has connected thereto a depending body hook 29.

In the forming of the double seam 26, the material of the curl 21 has been shaped to define a chuck wall radius 30 which connects to the end panel 20 an upstanding chuck wall 31. At the upper end of the chuck wall 31 there is a seaming panel 32 which is connected to the chuck wall 31 by means of a seaming panel radius 33. I A seaming wall radius 34 connects the seaming panel 32 to an outermost depending seaming wall 35. At the lower end of the seaming wall 35 there is an end hook radius 36 to which there is connected an upstanding end hook 37. It is to be noted thatin the double seam 26 the body hook 29 is clamped between the end hook 37 and the seaming wall 35 while the end hook 3'7 is clamped between the body wall 27 and the body hook 29.

It is tobe noted that the straight portion 12 of the score line 11 extends across the underside of the end panel 20, around the chuck wall radius 30, up on the outer surface of the chuck wall 31, under the seaming panel radius 33, the seaming panel 32 and the seaming wall radius 34, then down along the inner face of the seaming wall 35, above the end hook radius 36, and

finally along the outer face of the end hook 37. It is also to be noted that the circular portion 16 of the score line 11 extends circumferentially around the end hook radius 36 towards the outer portion thereof, that is to-.

wards the portion thereof joined to the seaming wall 35.

7 It is to be understood that the straight portion 14 and the radius of the score line 11 extend in a manner similar to the straight portion 12 described immediately above but terminating short of the end hook 37 and in the circular portion 16 formed in the end hook radius 36. V

The can end 19, being of the same configuration as a conventional can end, with the exception of the formation the resultant can, which is generally referred to by the e purposes. However, the can end 19 will have an opening 39 therein formed as a result of the removal of the tear strip 18. The opening 39 will normally not permit packaged materials, such as nuts, to be displaced in the can when the can end 19 has been replaced.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that there has been devised a novel can construction including a novel can end which, with the exception of the opening features that are formed by additive steps, are formed in a conventional manner utilizing conventional equipment. It will be further obvious that the double seam between the can end and the can body is in no way affected by the easy opening feature and the usual tight seam may be formed. On the other hand, the specific easy opening feature of the can end permits the can end to be readily removed from the can body in a manner so as to leave no sharp projections'on the interior of the can body whereby the contents of the can body, no matter what nature the contents may be, may be easily removed.

Although a preferred embodiment of the can end construction has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it-is to be understood that minor variations may be made therein within the spirit and'scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

numeral 38, may be opened without requiring the use of a can opener or other implement and at the same time lis free of elements projecting from the seam which may possibly cut the tear strip 18 from the end panel 20 and the initiating of the tearing of the can end across the double seam 26. The tear strip 18 is pulled upwardly over and then down 7 around the double seam 26 so as to tear entirely across the double seam 26. When the tearing of the can end reaches the circular portion 16 of the score line 11, that is when it reaches the end hook radius 36, the pull is a steady downward pull and circumferentially of the can so as to completely tear from the double seam 26 the end hook 37 and substantially all of the end hook radius 36. The can end 19 is now held onto the can body 24 solely by the friction engagement of the seaming panel with the body hook 29. The can end 19 may be lifted upwardly and removed from the can body 24 without any further operations.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 6 wherein it is shown that the can end 19 may be utilized for reclosure cluding a tear strip connected to said container end portion to facilitate the removal of said container end portion, said tear strip extending entirely across said seam.

2. In a container, a container body and a container end seamed to said container body, said container end having a weakening line extending peripherally along said seam whereby a portion of said container end forming a part of said seam may be removed to release the remainder of said container end, said container end including a tear strip connected to said container end portion to facilitate the removal of said container end portion, said tear strip extending entirely across said'seam, and a pull tab secured to said tear strip to effect therupturing of said tear strip from adjacent portions of said container end.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said container end includes an end panel and said tear strip extends into said end panel.

4. In a container, a container body and a container end seamed to said container body, said container end having a weakening line extending peripherally along said seam whereby a portion of said container end forming a part of said seam may be removed to release the remainder of said container end, said container end including a tear strip connected to said container end portion to facilitate the removal of said container end portion, Said tear strip extending entirely across said seam, said tear strip being defined by an inwardly directed continuation of said weakening line and including a U-shaped starting portion. 7

5. The container of claim 4 wherein one end of said wegkening line extends to the periphery of said container en 6. The container of claim 4' wherein one end of said weakening line extends to the periphery of said container end, and the other end of said weakening line intersects said weakening line adjacent said oneend.

radius and twice across said seaming panel and said chuck wall and once across said end hook to define a tear strip connected to said end hook with said tear strip and said end hook being removable to open the can.

8. A can end for attachment to a can body, said can end comprising an end panel and a peripheral curl, a weakening line extending peripherally along said curl and transversely of said curl into said end panel to define a removable outer portion and an integrally connected tear strip, said tear strip terminating in said end panel.

9. The can end of claim 8 wherein said weakening line is continuous from one end to the other and one end opens through the peripheral edge of said can end.

10. The can end of claim 8 wherein that part of said weakening line defining said tear strip includes a U- starting portion.

11. The can of claim 7 wherein said can end includes an end panel defined by said chuck wall and said weakening line extends into said end panel from said chuck wall and returns to said chuck wall to define a tear strip starting portion.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,777,601 1/57 Cheeley 22O--54 2,946,478 7/60 Clair et al 220-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 744,519 1/ 44 Germany.

b d S ape 15 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTAINER, A CONTAINER BODY AND A CONTAINER END SEAMED TO SAID CONTAINER BODY, SAID CONTAINER END HAVING A WEAKENING LINE EXTENDING PERIPHERALLY ALONG SAID SEAM WHEREBY A PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER END FORMING A PART OF SAID SEAM MAY BE REMOVED TO RELEASE THE REMAINDER OF SAID CONTAINER END, SAID CONTAINER END INCLUDING A TEAR STRIP CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINER END PORTION TO FACILITATE THE REMOVAL OF SAID CONTAINER END PORTION, SAID TEAR STRIP EXTENDING ENTIRELY ACROSS SAID SEAM. 